Last updated a month ago
We need more Cardano developers, who are important pieces in driving the ecosystem forward.
Our solution is to host a Cardano Hackathon in Mexico, bringing together developers and enthusiasts to create innovative projects and applications on the Cardano blockchain.
Please provide your proposal title
AZTECA Hackathon in Latam First Edition
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
60000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
8
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
We need more Cardano developers, who are important pieces in driving the ecosystem forward.
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
No dependencies
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
Its just a hackathon, there's nothing to open source but everything that can be open sourced will be.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Hackathons
Who you’re targeting, how you’ll reach them, and why this matters for Cardano.
We target developers, students, and blockchain enthusiasts in Mexico and Latin America who are curious about building on Cardano.
How we reach them: through partnerships with universities, tech hubs, and local blockchain communities; targeted social media campaigns; and outreach to existing LatAm developer networks.
Why it matters for Cardano: Attracting and onboarding new developers is critical to grow the ecosystem, create new dApps, and expand Cardano’s presence in Latin America — a region with huge untapped potential.
Provide a list of key activities of your project?
Organize a two-day hackathon in Mexico City with workshops, coding sessions, and team challenges.
Provide technical mentorship and tools to participants.
Offer prizes and recognition to the most innovative Cardano-based projects.
Build a community channel to sustain collaboration after the event.
Document and publish project repositories and workshop recordings for the global Cardano community.
What are your success metrics?
150+ participants registered, with at least 40% newcomers to Cardano.
15+ projects submitted, with at least 5 continuing after the event.
8+ workshops delivered and 10+ hours of educational content published.
5+ partnerships with universities or tech communities.
100+ members active in the post-event community channel.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
The Cardano Hackathon in Mexico will include:
A two-day event with workshops, coding challenges, and networking.
Access to Cardano development tools, APIs, and experts.
Prizes and recognition for the most innovative Cardano-based projects.
Collaboration opportunities with the Cardano community and ecosystem.
Knowledge sharing and community-building.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
Our project will:
Encourage developers to explore Cardano's capabilities, driving innovation.
Foster a sense of community and collaboration within the Cardano ecosystem.
Attract new talent and projects to Cardano, expanding its reach.
Showcase the potential of Cardano to a wider audience.
KPIs:
1. Participation
150+ total participants registered for the hackathon.
60+ active developers coding during the event.
At least 50% newcomers to Cardano.
At least 30% female participation.
2. Projects Created
15+ projects submitted at the end of the hackathon.
All projects published on GitHub under open-source licenses.
3. Training & Knowledge
8 workshops delivered on Cardano tools and frameworks.
10+ hours of educational content recorded and published.
80%+ participant satisfaction (measured through surveys)
4. Community & Networking
5+ partnerships with universities, tech hubs, or local blockchain communities.
Creation of a dedicated group with 100 active members after the hackathon.
5. Outreach & Visibility
50,000+ social media impressions across platforms.
10+ community mentions (Tweets, blogs, podcasts,etc).
6. Impact on the Cardano Ecosystem
At least 15 developers are adopting Cardano tools (Plutus, Marlowe, APIs).
3+ teams applying to Project Catalyst or other Cardano-related grants after the hackathon.
At least 3 innovative use cases for Cardano demonstrated during the event.
What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?
Team Experience, Trust & Accountability
Our team has a proven track record of organizing high-quality blockchain events, including AZTECA 2025, AMM Intersect Latam, the Constitutional Workshop in CDMX, and the CIP-1694 Workshop in Mexico City. These experiences demonstrate our ability to bring together diverse stakeholders, foster meaningful discussions, and deliver professional, well-coordinated events within the Cardano ecosystem.
To ensure trust and accountability, we will:
Maintain full transparency in budget management by providing clear expense reports and justifications for all spending.
Deliver timely updates to the community and funders throughout the planning and execution phases.
Coordinate logistics in detail, including venue, travel, technical setup, and partnerships, to guarantee a seamless experience for participants.
Apply lessons learned from our previous events to continuously improve organization, engagement, and impact measurement.
Work closely with local partners and the global Cardano community to align the hackathon with ecosystem goals and maximize its long-term value.
This structured and transparent approach will build confidence in the project’s execution and ensure that Catalyst funds are used effectively to create lasting impact.
Milestone Title
Confirmation of Date and Location
Milestone Outputs
Official confirmation of the event date.
Confirmation of the event location (venue booked and secured).
Location details (capacity, facilities, accessibility, connectivity).
Invoice for the venue booking.
Draft agenda outlining the structure of the hackathon (workshops, coding sessions, networking, awards).
Acceptance Criteria
The event date is fixed and communicated.
Venue is booked and suitable for hosting a hackathon (space for participants, internet, power supply, accessibility).
Documented details confirming the suitability of the venue.
Invoice received from the venue provider.
A draft agenda is available, covering the main components of the hackathon.
Evidence of Completion
Invoice PDF confirming the booking of the venue.
Location document (pdf) describing the venue’s suitability (capacity, photos or description, internet, accessibility).
Draft agenda document shared via link (PDF).
Confirmation of date and location in the location document
*All documents in a google drive folder, link will be public and shared.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
18000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Marketing & Outreach
Milestone Outputs
Design and launch of the event communication campaign (branding, visuals, messaging).
Publication of the registration page with registration details.
Promotion through social media channels (Twitter,youtube).
Outreach to universities, tech hubs, and blockchain communities in LatAm.
Confirmation of at least X registered participants before the event.
Acceptance Criteria
The event website and registration page is live and accessible.
Official event branding and communication materials are ready (logos, banners, templates).
Social media campaign is active with regular posts.
At least 3 partnerships or outreach collaborations confirmed (universities,startups or community groups).
Evidence of participant registrations (target: minimum 50 before the event).
Evidence of Completion
Screenshots/links to the event website and registration page.
Screenshots/links to social media posts and youtube videos.
Outreach document listing communities, universities, and partners with confirmations of participation.
*All ss and links in a google drive folder, link will be public and shared.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
18000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Hackathon Execution
Milestone Outputs
Successful delivery of the two-day hackathon event in Mexico.
Hosting of workshops and coding sessions with Cardano experts.
Facilitation of team formation, mentorship, and project building.
Organization of the final project presentations and judging session.
Awarding of prizes and recognition to the best projects.
Acceptance Criteria
The hackathon takes place on the confirmed date and at the confirmed venue.
At least X participants actively attend in person.
At least Y projects are submitted by the end of the hackathon.
Workshops and mentoring sessions are delivered as scheduled in the agenda.
Winners are selected and recognized through a transparent judging process.
Evidence of Completion
Photos and/or videos from the hackathon event.
Attendance list (summary, anonymized if necessary).
List of projects submitted with short descriptions.
Agenda and workshop documentation (slides, recordings, or summaries).
Announcement of winners (social media posts & website update).
*All documents in a google drive folder, link will be public and shared.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
12000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Post-event Reporting & Close-out
Milestone Outputs
close-out report & close-out video summarizing outcomes of the hackathon (attendance, projects, partnerships, lessons learned).
Public repository with hackathon projects (GitHub links, documentation)
Recordings and materials from workshops made available to the community.
Creation or strengthening of a community channel for ongoing collaboration.
Acceptance Criteria
A close-out report and video is completed and shared with the Cardano community.
All hackathon projects are published or linked in a public repository.
Workshop recordings or materials are available online for broader access.
The community group has at least 50 members actively engaged after the event.
Evidence of Completion
Final close-out report & video (links).
GitHub or repository links with project submissions.
Links to recordings or published workshop content.
Community channel link with member count.
*All documents in a google drive folder, link will be public and shared.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
12000
Progress
20 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Total budget requested: 60,000 ADA
Cost Breakdown
1.- Venue & Logistics – 35,000 ADA
Venue rental for 2 full days (conference space, breakout rooms).
Furniture, A/V equipment, internet, electricity backup.
Catering (coffee breaks, snacks, light meals for participants).
2.- Prizes & Awards – 7,000 ADA
ADA prizes for winning teams.(6000 ADA)
Recognition packages (certificates, trophies, swag).
3.- Marketing & Outreach – 5,000 ADA
Event branding and graphic design.
Website/landing page and registration system.
4.- Workshops, Mentors & Technical Support – 4,000 ADA
Honoraria for invited Cardano developers, mentors, and speakers.
Preparation of educational materials and resources.
5.- Food & Accommodation Support – 3,000 ADA
6.- Project Management & Coordination – 6,000 ADA
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
This project represents excellent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem because:
High Impact, Direct Allocation: The majority of the budget (35,000 ADA) is dedicated to venue, logistics, and participant support, ensuring the hackathon is professionally executed and accessible to developers. Prizes (7,000 ADA) are directly reinvested into participants, incentivizing innovation and rewarding talent.
Efficient Resource Use: By keeping marketing, workshops, and technical support costs lean (a combined 9,000 ADA), we maximize visibility and technical quality while avoiding unnecessary overhead.
Community Growth & Developer Attraction: For 60,000 ADA, this hackathon will attract 100+ participants, generate 20+ new projects, and onboard dozens of developers into the Cardano ecosystem — a strong return compared to traditional developer acquisition costs.
Long-Term Value: Beyond a single event, the outcomes include:
Open-source project repositories.
Educational materials and recordings available for the global community.
A strengthened LatAm Cardano community channel to sustain collaboration after the event.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
Our team is composed of three core members with extensive experience in organizing blockchain and Cardano-related events in Mexico and Latin America. While we are not developers ourselves, our strength lies in event coordination, community engagement, and ecosystem-building. To ensure strong technical content, we will collaborate with external Cardano developers and experts who will deliver workshops, mentorship, and technical guidance during the hackathon.
Team Members
Cristian Rojas – Project Lead & Event Coordinator
Responsible for overall project management, logistics, and delivery of milestones.
Brings experience in coordinating major blockchain events such as AZTECA 2025 and the CIP-1694 Workshop Mexico City.
Ensures transparent budget management and timely reporting to Catalyst.
Erick Valadez – Partnerships & Community Lead
Leads outreach to universities, tech hubs, and blockchain communities in LatAm.
Experienced in community-building and establishing collaborations with local and regional partners.
Ensures strong participation, diversity, and continuity of the community after the hackathon.
Victor Hernandez – Marketing & Communications Lead
Manages event branding, social media campaigns, and participant engagement.
Experienced in promoting blockchain events such as AMM Intersect LatAm and the Constitutional Workshop in CDMX.
Responsible for showcasing the hackathon outcomes to a wider audience and increasing Cardano’s visibility in the region.
External Technical Support
To complement our skills, we will invite Cardano developers and technical mentors to deliver workshops, guide teams, and support the development of projects during the hackathon. This approach ensures that participants have access to the technical expertise needed, while our core team focuses on execution, outreach, and impact measurement.